“Good morning!” Principal Cindy Stone calls out with a smile, giving a cheerful wave to students walking by. A moment later, she’s stepping into a classroom, talking with a teacher, giving encouragement, asking questions, and then quickly ducking out again to greet more students as they navigate the busy hallways. Even after the last bell rings, Stone’s day isn’t over; she can be found on the field, cheering on the War Eagles at every football game. Stone is always on the move, full of energy, and, despite her packed schedule, never too busy to stop and listen to what students have to say.

Even though she’s only served as Davie High’s principal for a few short weeks, Stone has already made a strong impression through her outgoing personality and desire to connect with others. Her genuine enthusiasm for getting to know students, supporting staff, and learning the ins and outs of the high school has quickly made her a welcoming and friendly face. 

While Stone may be DCHS’s newest administrator, she’s much more than that. She is a passionate educator, lifelong learner, and leader who is deeply committed to building relationships and pushing students and staff to be their best selves. Her impact goes far beyond her title, as seen through her visible dedication to the Davie High community.

A Wealth of Experience

Stone replaces Michael Pruitt who served as Davie High’s principal since 2021 and has now transitioned to his new position as director of accountability and student information at the county office.

Though Stone may be new to DCHS, she is a seasoned educator with over 30 years as a teacher and administrator. When asked who inspired her to become an educator, Stone had one clear mentor in mind: her mom. In fact, her very first teaching job was at a preschool as her mom’s teaching assistant. After college, her first full-time teaching job was at Harmony Elementary School, where she taught kindergarten. Following several years there, she moved to Courtney Elementary School, where she taught multiple grade levels and subjects. 

Stone quickly found her place as a passionate educator and soon began pursuing an administrative position as a way to expand her impact beyond the classroom.

“Since I loved being a teacher and doing well in that role of providing meaningful instruction to students, I wanted to help more kids,” she explained. “Instead of teaching 25 students at a time in a class, I wanted to become an administrator to be able to help more students.”

As she continued her career with the goal of helping as many students and families succeed as possible, Stone began her time in Davie County with seven years as an administrator at Cooleemee Elementary, serving as the school’s assistant principal and principal during her tenure. From there, Stone then went on to fill the same position for South Davie Middle School, where she worked for five years before being announced as Davie High’s new principal in June 2025. 

With this abundant experience, Stone also brings a tradition of excellence. Under her leadership, Cooleemee Elementary was recognized in the top 4% of NC schools for academic growth and was named a “Signature School.” Stone was also named Davie County Schools 2019-2020 Principal of the Year.

“We are excited to welcome Ms. Stone as the next leader of Davie County High,” said Jinda Haynes, Davie County Schools’ former Interim Superintendent, in a press release announcing Stone’s appointment earlier this year. “She brings not only a wealth of experience but also a proven ability to lead schools to new levels of success. We are confident her vision and commitment to excellence will have a positive impact on our high school community.”

In Her High School Era

Already a month into the school year, Stone has adjusted quickly to her new role, taking the time to learn procedures, talk with staff, and embrace this new period of her professional career.

“I love high school. I’m having so much fun telling my friends I’m in my high school era, right?” says Stone. “I’m an extrovert. I enjoy meeting new people and learning new faces. I like problem-solving, so I am enjoying learning new situations and routines. I ask a ton of questions. Right now, I will stop and ask a teacher probably two or three times a day, ‘Hey, tell me more about this,’ because I am trying to learn.”

As she steps into her position, one of Stone’s top priorities is creating and refining a helpful and efficient FLEX time system, specifically one that allows students to receive the academic help they need while also having the opportunity to explore their passions and participate in extracurricular activities.

“This year, one of our biggest things was really trying to get our FLEX program going,” Stone explained. “We want kids to be able to go to lots of different clubs and do lots of different activities, but we also want to make sure that students get the help they need with their education. So FLEX, while it’s frustrating at times with scheduling, there’s definitely things that we have to work out. We know, and we are working on it.” 

Aside from refining Davie’s FLEX Time system, Stone is excited for many other parts of the upcoming school year. From football games to meeting students, she’s looking forward to stepping into her role not just as principal, but as a member of the War Eagle family. 

“I love it all. You know, I enjoy the Friday night football games. I enjoy listening to our band play,” She said. “I enjoy walking in and out of classrooms on a daily basis and getting to see, ‘Oh, this is what’s going on in this class.’”

Work Hard, Play Hard

While she loves her job, Stone also has several hobbies that fill her time outside of the school day. When she’s not at school, Stone can usually be found exploring the outdoors, camping, hiking, reading, or biking.

“That is my outlet, you know?” She said. “I am a work-hard, play-hard person. That’s my personality. If I’m at work, I’m working hard, but if I’m not at work, I play hard.” 

Aside from spending time outside, Stone also loves spending time with her husband, to whom she’s been married for 30 years, and her 25-year-old daughter.

“I love being a mom,” said Stone when talking about her daughter. “Being a mom is my favorite job, right? That’s the best job in the world.”

Shoot For the Stars

Looking ahead to the rest of the school year, Stone would like students to keep in mind that she is here to help them. She’s excited to meet everyone and learn their names, greeting them each morning and checking in to see how they’re doing. Stone wants to be a friendly face who students can come to if they ever need someone to talk to.

“Anyone can come talk to me if they’ve got problems or issues,” she emphasized. “I can’t solve all of them, but I’ll try. I want to be a good listener.”

Along with this reminder, Stone has several words of advice for Davie High students, pushing them to always put in their best effort and reach for the stars.

“Never be afraid to try! Set goals and go after them! Be intentional, not complacent.”